Dream Tank

[FinAddiction]

Hello Everyone, Actually my first post in decades going all the way back to the Prodigy fish forum days... I visit quite often just don't engage, kind of socially inept...

I would like everyones input, and suggestions, and precautions on a large tank build.

I recently sold my soul, first child and a kidney and put a deposit down on our dream tank build. I'm one of the lucky ones that has a spouse that is as passionate about fish as I am. We are hoping to get it set up by next August.
36x36x186 (1043g)

What would you do or customize or add if you had the room and was starting from scratch?

The tank will be going into, what is now our garage. Its a 12" slab so I'm not worried about wieght. I'm hoping I can run pumping under a sub floor installed over the slab, about 10 feet away and down into the basement of the house.

I'm thinking dual 5000ish GPH pumps. Probablywill have 15' head pressure. I'd like to run all the tank turn over throught the sump. I will be building the sump in the basment if I can transport the pumping. Still need to check on that, but I think I can. So I could build a sump to handle the flow I'm thinking.

I was thinking about a refugium under the tank in the cabinet. Any reason I should filter the over flow? I'm thinking let all the uneaten food and stuff get consumed by the fuge rather then filter it and leach nitrates. Just spit ballin.

Stand will be steel, I will be building it and prolly power coat.

Please chime in and throw me your ideas and suggestions. Been a marine fish hobbist for a long time probably, this dream tank is a bit out of limited range of knowledge.

Cheers

 

[albano]

Fish or reef tank? Glass or acrylic?

 

[Angelfish rule]

Awesome
wish you the best of luck
any idea on what fish you want to put in

 

[FinAddiction]

Acylic FOWLR

Right now we have a 150 with a spotted puffer and a male/female blue chin trigger, a few damsels. The puffer is 12" now, spurring our tank upgrade.

as for what to put in it, we're making a wish list now. Triggers, jacks, angels, butterflys, hawkfish, so many considerations, but nothing specific yet. Really want some schoolers, like maybe silversides or banner fish.

We will have a sand bottom, I know bare bottoms are easy to clean. but personally I don't think the fish like it, and it is all about them. Nothing against people that do. That will also allow for a lot of bottom dwellers.

 

[clekchau]

i'm doing the same thing as you are, it helps my house isn't built yet so placing a large aquarium is much easier. my main adds are for easy cleaning and maintenance, floor drains, easy water changer some other things. i am designing my fish room as we speak , i'm happy to share that layout with you if you are interested. pm me if you would like to discuss further.

 

[caribfan]

Have you considered pilot fish? They make a really unique school, but are it time swimmers and get big.

 

[humaguy]

lookdowns would be cool...
but if doing trigs and angels- baby clarions should be around next week or two...you might wanna grab one....

 

[h.cordero]

Go with peninsula style tank, would give you the option down the way! If you change the tank placement or house I will have an option. Wish I had!

 

[las]

Very cool tank specs!

Baby clarions???? How does one acquire one.

If u are interested, liveaquaria has XXL male scribbled angels available at the moment.

 

[jjk_reef00]

This is going to be sweet, looking forward to updates.

 

[e55driver]

Large eels are always cool. You need to think of filtration for a heavy bio load. Take a look at commercial sized skimmers. (MRC, R2K or ETSS)

 

[FinAddiction]

Excellent!! Thanks for all the input! This is exacally what I need. I'm so much in unfamiliar territory with the size of this build.

Defiantly love eels, and wife had lookdowns in her "to investigate further" list. Good to see them in the suggestions. Defiantly want schoolers adding pilot fish to the check list. Still a bit away from getting fish, but always good to start early and not make hasty decisions.

A peninsula would be cool, but everything about the house is small. The house itself is only 600 sqft. We're converting the garage into living area which is where the tank is going. Its 2 cars long, but only 9 ft across. Was going to have some small seating infront of the tank too. Or we might go 40" or 48" deep. Still gotta mock that, but you can bet I'm going for bigger is better. So unfortunately its going to have to go against the wall.

My plan for filtration is. Unfiltered overflow to the fuge, then to filter socks, probably 4 7" socks, then after a few medias, pumped (using a couple 5000ish GPH pumps) through a couple cartridge filters (I'm thinking swimming pool filters?) back to the tank...

If I can pull off the sump in the basement that leaves the under cabinet area open for a huge fuge. I'm thinking, 24"x24"x120" ish. This would have tons of scrubbing capabilities... I'm thinking.

What do you guys think about not filtering the overflow to the fuge? I'm thinking skip the filter leach and let the fuge crew eat it. Am I off base?

clekchau expect a pm as soon as I hit 10 post... pffft such a forum noob =\

Thanks for all the suggestions, keep them coming! Have you peeps follow along makes it not so overwhelming. Soon as we break ground I'll start posting some pics. Got a few projects I got to finish first, per wifeys tank build prerequisite.

Cheers

 

[las]

Filter socks after the fuge will stop all the good critters and goodies from going into your tank. Not a good idea I think

 

[FinAddiction]

True that... I pick critters outta the socks now, just from the tank (150g) now. I might have socks in the fuge before it heads down stairs and pick them out of there and back in. Not sure what the best solution would be, wasn't really lookin at the fuge as a food source, though it works, mainly just to battle waste.

Here's kind what I got planned for water flow.

Tank over flow
Huge Fuge under cab
Pre sock filters in Fuge
First Sump in basement
Secondary Filter Socks (in the first sump)
Down flow to a Skimmer w/ overflow to second sump(lower in basement)
Return pump(s)
Cartridge Filer(s)
Back to tank

Any negative info on Reeflo Hammerhead return pump? They're $50 off this week.